Ax



Patented Jan. 24, 1 933 UNITED STATES NP EBQ vwiIlLrA u"nr r'm'roiv AND nnnnsr n. noLoorrBE, or ANT N, PE1mSnvmmf Application filed J'anuai'y 25,1932. Serial 110,588,698.

This invention relates to cutting tools'of the axor hatchet type. Y

An object ofthe invention is the provision of an ax or hatchet type of cutting tool having a cutting blade movable to an inoperative secured position within guard members;

3; :1. position where it is alined longitudinally with the handle to provide in eflecta chisel, the last-mentioned position of the cutting blade providing a tool which may be used for digging holes.

provision of an'ax or hatchet type'of toolIin which a cutting blade is movable 'to a plu trigger, only i the finger-engaging portion of the trigger'being exposed beyond a palr of guard members which normally house the cutting blade in an inoperative position.

This invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following de-:

tailed description, in view of the accompanying drawing forming a part of the specification; nevertheless, it is to be understood that theinvention is not confined to the disclosure,

being susceptible of such changes and modifi cationswhich shall define no material de parture-from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims,

In the drawing: V l v a Figure lis aside view in elevation of an ax or hatchet type of tool, 1 .Q v 1 Figure 2 is a transverse vertical section taken along the line 22 of Figure 1, y

A A furtherjobject of the invention is the tive of the trigger-operatedkeeper or locking 1 device for the tool,; x Figure 4 is a fragmentary sideview in elevation of;a modified form oftheI tool shown in Figure 1, and 3 j.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view in perspecgive of a trigger-actuated keeper; or locking; aI l 'f fJ 1. I Referring more, particularly to the draw ing,10 designates a handle formed of two sima 693 ilarsectionsll which are ypress'ed'or cast into a substantiallysemi-cylindrical form: so that when the two sections are secured-together by I means).o;frivets or any" other well; known form of securing means,as indicatedat 12, the handle willbe substantially cylindrical: and off a size .which may "be comfortably grasped by the hand. The outer end of the handleis knurled, asshown at 13,-in order tojprevent slippage when operating thetooli 9 A pair ofguard members 14 are extendedforwardly of the sections v11 01%, the: handle and are of such a size that they'will completely'house a" cutting b1ade'15; The outer ends of the guard members 145 arezcurved,

asi shownat 16, and atapproximately' the Y center of the circle upon which thefcurve 16,

is formed ismounted a pivot pin 17-1301 swingably; supp orting' the. cutting blade i a while providing means forsecuring the outer ends of the guards in spacedrela'tion. v Q The lower end-ofthe guardmembers 14 are cutaway, as shownat 18,in order to pro-K vide for theexposure of one side edge 19" of the blade 15 when the cuttingbladehas been completely housed between the spaced guard-members 14 in order to permit the. blade tobe forcedfromthe guard members in any approved manner ifrequired.v However, if the cutting blade and the guard members are kept in good condition the cutting blade will readily fallqby gravity. from the guard members to the position shown in Fig. 1' by the release of a locking bar or keeper, as willbe'presently explained. 1 hecutting blade-15 is provided with three,

1 notches 20, 21' and 22; 1The1not ches20and 21 are diametrically o'ppositeeach other. while the notch 22 is;approximately'90: from either Figure 3 is'a fragmentary view in perspec-.

the notch 20or 21 orapproximately midway between the notches 20 and 21. It will be noted that the inner portion of the blade 15,

p as shown at 23, is rounded on a curve whose radius is less than the arc 16 so that the inner edge or wall of the notch 22 is of less height than the outer edge. This is also true of the sidewalls of the notch 20 since thecurved: portion of the inner end of the cutting tool, as shown 'atj24, is similar in 'constructionto the curved portion 23. p H A' latch or locking bar I is 'pivotally I ithe notch 21 Wlll be engaged by the lug 36 mounted, at '31, on the upper adjacent portions of the guard members 14. This bar extends between the guard members along their upper edges, as shown at 32, and completely housed between the guard members sothat extend laterally from the outer free end of' the latch bar33 and an extension orlug 36 depends trom the outer end of the latch bar in order to be received within the notch 22 of the cutting blade 15. Thelugs 34 and 35' are received within notches 37 formed within the guard members 14. The cutting blade 15 'is secured in place to provide a form oforder to provide for the projection of a por-- tion 41- of a trigger element 42, which is formed integrally with the keeper bar 30 and extends downwardly from the pivot point 31" of said keeper bar. The lower free end of the trigger is connected by a spring 43 with a pin'4'4 secured within the handle 10. The

spring at all'times tends to move thetrigger rea'rwardly and thus maintains the keeper; bar'30in locking position within the notches 32zofthe guard members 14 and one'of the notches at the inner end ofthe cutting blade; p j j v 4 ment-with the handle? 10; until the lugs34,

The formv shown in Figs. 4 and 5' is similar in; construction to that shown in Figs. 1 to.3 v with the exception of the construction of the keeper bar 50. This bar it willbe noted is of suificient width to be located between the guard members 14 and is of sulf-v fic'ient length so that thelug 36 will be re-l ceived within any one 'of the notches '20, 21 or 22 of the cutting tool 15.. It will be noted; howeverythat-the head 45 is absent as are the j lugs 351and34'which invFig; 1 are adapted t'o be received within notches 37 inthe-guard members 14.

The trigger 42 ispi-voted at 31 on the guard mem ers 14 and since the keeper bar 15 is formedintegrally withthe trigger '42,

the keeper bar iis pivotally mounted l'ikewise at; 31. The springv43 maintains the trigger and'thekeeper bar in 'a'predetermined lockfthefouter edge 33 of the latch bar is substan- *tially flush with the outer edges-32 of the of the keeper bar 33 so that the cutting bladewill be -held; ri gidlyin position. v

If it be desired to place the cutting blade 15 in the'kpositioirshown in? l so that the tool may be used as an ax or hatchet;-

the projecting portion .41 ot the trigger '42 is'pressedi by the thumb whence the latch bar 31: will be movedoutwardlyisf-romthe guard members and thereby release the cutting'blade '15 whence it will f-all'by gravity to the p'osi tionshown in Fig. 1-. As-soomlhoweven'that: thebladehas been released fromits locked posltlon within the housing the re sureem the.v portion 4150f the triggerl'4 2 is removed so thatlwhen. theblade movestothe position shown in Fig.1, thenotchq22 of-"said'bladeu will receive the lug 36 while the lugs 34 and" 35 willbezreceived by the: notches: 3:7 of the} guard 'members 14. f.

v- If it be .desiredito use the tool:

as a spade, or for any other) p-urposefor whichii I the tool maybe adapted in this positiomlthes trigger 42 V is; again actuated tel-release the;v keeper bar 30- so thatrthe lugsz-34 35:.and 36 a will be. removed. from their? respeetiver notches, to. permit freedom of. movement of the cutting blade 15. A quick movement. or?

the. wrist when grasping the handle 10' will causetheioutting blade 15 towswing outward g ly toapositioniwhichlisinlongitudinal aligni-i 3,5 and 36-wil l again be receivedv within" their" respective notches "inthenguard members. 141 andthe notch-2Qin'the cutting blade 15.31115 this; position the tool may used for many."

purposes.

When: it is a desired to return the? bladie1l5 to itsrposi'tionebetween the guard its membersil4 it.isonly; necessary to again exert;

pressure on the trigger 42 whence therva'rious;

lugs will be released from; their respective notches so,-that;the operator. of the tool may) cutting blade adjacent the pivoted portion being semi-circular and provided w1th peripheral notches formed in the opposite side edges of the blade and a peripheral notch intermediate the last-mentioned notches, a locking bar normally housed within the guard and having a lug at one end provided with an inner face and an outer face which has greater height than the inner face, the lug being adapted to engage any one of the notches for retaining the blade either in an inoperative position, in a position simulating an ax, or in a position simulating a chisel, one wall of two of the notches which is engaged by the inner face of the lug being of less height than the opposite wall, the peripheral edge of the inner end of the cutting blade being cut away on an arc of a curve adjacent the inner wall of two of the notches in the blade to provide for the complete housing of the locking bar when in looking position with the blade.

- WILLIAM E. PELTON.

ERNEST H. HOLCOMBE. V 

